Six ex-Gators to play in post-season all-star games, including QB John Brantley

This might be a light year for Florida in the NFL Draft, but six players who were seniors last season will continue auditioning for pro teams in upcoming all-star games.

The Gators’ top two draft prospects, DT Jaye Howard and RB Chris Rainey, will play in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 28 (3 p.m., NFL Network). That game is at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala.

QB John Brantley is one of six quarterbacks playing in the East-West Shrine game Jan. 21 (4 p.m. NFL Network) at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.

Also on that date, three former Gators will play in the new Battle of Florida all-star game, which is restricted to players who went to high school or college in this state. WR Deonte Thompson (Glades Central HS), DE William Green and OL Dan Wenger all are committed to play. That game is at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton and will air at 8 p.m. on the Fox College Sports Network.

The only notable senior who is not playing in an all-star game is RB Jeff Demps, who announced today that he will put his football pursuits on hold to train as a sprinter for the upcoming Olympics.